I just discovered the Beginner Golfing blog. The guy is (as the name implies) just starting out. Good luck with the game, and the blog.

If anything, Phil Mickelson’s second major maybe more important than his first. Sure, his win at Augusta removed the “best player never to win a major” title, but his second showed that the Masters was not a fluke (although I think he already had shown that with last year’s near misses at the US Open and the Open Championship.).

Now, in a way, he is free to go on winning. The staff at Shark dot Com thinks that Mickelson is not going to be satisfied with just two.

George Kimball of the Boston Herald agrees, saying that Mickelson:

put some distance between himself and one-hit wonders like Shaun Micheel, Paul Lawrie, Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton.

At Sports Illustrated, Gary Van Sickle writes:

It’s official now. Mickelson is going to be a Hall of Fame player—he probably was, anyway, but a second major championship makes him a lock. It also means Davis Love, who finished tied for fourth with Tiger Woods, may still be on the outside looking in.

Wow. Harsh words. Davis missing the Hall of Fame? So much unused potential.

The FOOTJOY F3 GOLF GLOVE is Footjoy’s latest and greatest. Footjoy says its:

is a perfect combination of precision fit, performance feel, and maximum flexibility. The fit has been dramatically improved with the addition of a new angled closure and extended Y-Flex™ Mesh Technology across the back of the hand. The F3 golf glove continues to offer the same great feel and performance of premium leather throughout the entire palm.

Tiger, of course, didn’t win at Baltusrol. And in retrospect, I’m not surprised. yes, he’s won ten majors, but SIX of those have come on two courses: St. Andrews and Augusta.

I think he could eventually win ten Masters tournaments, but only a handful of other majors.

However ... I think you have to favor him at next year’s PGA—held at Medinah, scene of his 1999 PGA victory. That would hold true to the trend of his winning on familiar courses.

He’s halfway to a career slam.

Short Game wizard Dave Stockton has some video tips on improving your game.

For a variety of reasons, I’m thinking about getting a set of name brand game-improvement irons. I can’t even begin to afford a new set, but if I watch the stock at my local pro shops and Second Swings, I may be able to afford a used set

One set that I like the looks of is the TaylorMade 320 Irons from a couple of years ago.  They don’t have the volkswagen-on-a-stick look of many game improvement clubs, and the reviews I’ve read say that they’re pretty good. (I’ll try them first, of course).

But I’m confused about the shaft designations, and the clerk at my local Second Swing hasn’t been any help. Does anyone understand the 70-80-90-100 etc. labels?

Leave me a comment.